Lee University and Trevecca Nazarene University will battle for sixth place in the final regular season game on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m.) at Larry Carpenter Stadium. The Flames staged a dramatic four-run comeback in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the second game of a doubleheader 9-8 after dropping the opener 8-6.
The two clubs will go into the final nine-inning contest with identical 16-16 Gulf South Conference marks. The Flames are 24-24 overall and the Trojans stand at 21-25.
The GSC Championship is scheduled to get underway on Friday with the top eight teams earning a spot in the tourney.
The Lee baseball team also hosted its 13th annual Military Appreciation Day on Saturday. A turnout of veterans from all branches of the military were on hand for the celebration. Lee Coach Mark Brew called the event a huge success and shared his appreciation for all that took part.
Game 2 – Lee 9, Trevecca 8
The Flames fell behind 7-0 in the second inning and things didn’t look good as they trailed 8-5 going into the bottom of the seventh in the seven-inning contest. In their most thrilling comeback of the season, Lee put four runs on the board in the bottom of the frame and not only claimed the 9-8 win but also nailed down a spot in the upcoming GSC Championship.
The thrilling inning began with a one-base hit by Tucker Platt, who stayed hot in both games of the doubleheader. With one out, Cooper Doughman drew a walk, and Braden Gabel came on to pinch run. Brock Sisson also collected a free pass to load the bases. Levi Cloud was called on to run for Sisson. Gavin Baxter delivered his third hit of the contest that plated Platt to make it an 8-6 score.
In the wildest play of the game, JJ Williams sent a dribbler between the pitcher and first base. The pitcher, Nick Judd, tried to make the play but Williams went flying by for a one-base hit. In the meantime, Gabel came in to score followed by the speedy Cloud who slid safely across home plate to tie the game at eight.
Luke Collier, who had been held hitless the entire game, drilled a pitch over the head of the Trojan right-fielder easily scoring Baxter with the winning run. The Flames rushed the field and mobbed Collier in a major-league type celebration.
Williams finished with three hits, including a double and knocked in four runs. Baxter also had three hits, tallied a run and collected a RBI. Platt had a two-base hit, a single and crossed home three times. Malachi Cloud had a hit, RBI and scored a run. Sisson also had a one-base knock and tallied a score.
Pitching was a key in the win. Ty Cobb started and allowed five unearned runs. Two errors were costly to the right-handerwho was removed after 1.1 innings. Will Baker gave his team a big boost. The lefty was called on for four innings and gave up four hits and two earned runs. He fanned four and issued one free pass. Jax Howard (2-1) came on for the final 1.2 frames. The big right-hander allowed a couple of hits, one earned run and was credited with the victory.
Joey Parliment homered for the Trojans while Cade Moore, Brett Dingess and Cole McCallum added doubles. Moore finished with two hits and two RBI. Parliment knocked in two runs and McCallum had two hits.
Trevecca used five pitchers in the loss. Jonah Smithson was the starter and lasted two innings. He surrendered five hits and five earned runs. After three other Trevecca hurlers took a turn on the mound, Judd (4-5) worked 1.2 innings and was charged with the loss.
Game 1 – Trevecca 8, Lee 6
Moore hit the first pitch of the game for a homerun and set the stage for the Trojan victory. They went on to score three runs in the first, added a pair of runs in the third and led 5-1 after three innings.
The margin grew to 6-2 going into the eighth inning. Trevecca put two more runs on the board and it was an 8-2 contest. The Flames rallied with four runs of their own in the bottom of the ninth but it was not enough.
Lee outhit the Trojans 12-11. Platt was 3-of-3 including a double in leading the Flames hitting attack. He also collected a pair of RBI and scored twice. Doughman also had a good first game with two hits and two runs knocked in. Baxter stroked a two-base hit, added a single and scored a run. Collier doubled, had a RBI and scored once while Williams had a hit and RBI. Josiah Miller, Ryan Valdes and Sisson had one-base knocks in the loss.
Cooper Casteel (6-4) was Lee’s starting and losing pitcher. In his shortest outing of the year, the lefty worked 2.1 innings. He allowed seven hits and five earned runs. Zachary Lawson retired a couple of hitters while Matthew Delph pitched four innings and surrendered three hits and two earned runs. Nelson Smith was solid as Lee’s final hurler of the day. For two innings he was perfect, not allowing a hit, run and striking out one.
Moore also doubled to go along with his round-tripper. He knocked in two runs for Trevecca. Parliment doubled, singled and crossed home twice while McCallum blasted a long homer and added two RBI. Brady Maciak joined the hit parade with two knocks and two RBI.
Spencer Wilkins (3-3) gave the Trojans six solid innings of mound work. He gave up five hits and two earned runs, struck out six and walked a pair. Brooks McDonnough pitched an inning while Logan Harrell struggled to get the Flames out in his two innings of toeing the rubber. He gave up six hits and four earned runs.